Glass repair apparatus and method therefore

ABSTRACT

A windscreen heater is used for heating a windscreen prior to and/or during resin repair. The heated windscreen promotes the flow of resin to repair the windscreen. The device is mounted to the windscreen and has a port enabling viewing of a target zone of the windscreen. A heater element is positioned in the region of the port in order to effect heating of the windscreen.

The present invention relates to a windscreen heater device andparticularly to such a device for use in a method of repairing a flaw(such as a crack or break) in a windscreen or other glazing panel.

The term windscreen should be interpreted broadly throughout asincluding vehicular or architectural glazing panels.

Frequently flaws such as small cracks or breaks in glazing panels(particularly vehicle windscreens) are repaired by means of infillingwith a resin which when cured has optical and structural propertieswhich mean that the optical and structural integrity of the glazingpanel is not compromised.

It has been found that in order to avoid propagation of the crack orbreak following repair, the infilling resin needs to completely fill thecrack or break. In cold ambient conditions flow of resin is inhibitedand consequently it is sometimes difficult to ensure that the crack orbreak (flaw) is completely infilled. Known apparatus for repairing flaws(cracks or breaks) in glazing panels is disclosed, for example, inWO-A-01343373. The apparatus disclosed in WO-A-01343373 operates toapply resin to the flaw under an applied vacuum.

An improved technique and device has now been devised.

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a windscreenheater device comprising:

-   -   a mounting arrangement for mounting the heater device relative        to the windscreen;    -   a port enabling viewing of a target zone of the windscreen; and,    -   a heater element positioned in the region of the port.

Beneficially, the heater element is positioned peripherally of the port,preferably extending peripherally of the port.

It is preferred that the heating element comprises a heater bandextending peripherally about the port. Beneficially the heater elementcomprises an annular heater element and is preferably an electricalresistence heating element. In a preferred embodiment the heater elementcomprises an electrical annular silicone mat or pad heater. The heaterelement is beneficially held in contact with the windscreen surface. Themounting means may be configured to ensure that the heating element isbiased into to engagement with the windscreen. Spring means may beprovided for this purpose or the inherent resilience of elementscomprising the mounting arrangement may ensure such biasing.

It is preferred that when mounted relative to the screen, the port andheater element can be moved relative to the windscreen. The port andheater elements are beneficially arranged substantially co-axially withone another. The port may comprise an aperture through a support arm. Inone embodiment a support body is provided between the annular heatingelement and the support arm, the support body also including an aperturecomprising the port.

It is preferred that when mounted relative the screen, the port andheating element can be moved pivotally over the windscreen.

Beneficially the mounting arrangement includes three or more points ofmounting contact to the screen. The mounting means may include one ormore sucker cups or other vacuum fixing arrangement.

It is preferred that the windscreen heating device includes:

-   -   a first support element having mounting means for mounting to        the windscreen; and,    -   a second support element pivotally connected to the first        support element and carrying the port and heater element.

The second support element beneficially also includes mounting means formounting to the windscreen.

It is preferred that the device includes temperature indication means(such as a thermometer) to give an indication of the windscreentemperature.

According to a second aspect, there is provided a method of heating awindscreen using a windscreen heater device as herein defined, where thedevice is mounted to the underside (vehicle interior) surface of thewindscreen.

According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a methodof repairing a flaw (such as a crack or break) in a vehicle windscreen,wherein a vehicle windscreen heater device as herein defined is mountedadjacent the windscreen with the flaw visible through the port. Heat isapplied to the screen by the heater element and the flaw infilled withresin.

Beneficially the heater device is mounted to the underside (vehicleinterior) surface of the windscreen. The flaw is beneficially repairedwith resin whilst heat is simultaneously applied by the heating elementof the device mounted to the underside (vehicle interior) of thewindscreen. Beneficially repair apparatus is mounted to the outsidesurface of the windscreen in the region of the flaw, the outside mountedrepair apparatus being operated to repair the flaw with resin whilstheat is simultaneously applied by the heating element of the heaterdevice mounted to the underside (vehicle interior) surface of thewindscreen. Preferred repair apparatus is capable of being mounted onthe windscreen, and is preferably arranged to deliver resin underpartial vacuum conditions, such as disclosed for example inWO-A-01343373.

The invention will now be further described in a specific embodiment, byway of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a windscreen heater device in accordancewith the invention; and

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the device of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the windscreen heater device comprises anannular neoprene body 8 to which is secured an annular siliconeelectrical resistence heating ring 10 (power rating 4 W). A thermostat12 carried by heater ring 10 is received within a complementary recess13 provided in annular body 8.

The washer 8 and heating ring 10 subassembly is carried by a support arm1 which at a proximal end has an aperture 15 for receiving a pin 7 andbush 2 pivot connection to swing plate 5 (through aperture 16).

The distal end of arm 1 includes an aperture 17 for receiving the stemportion 18 c of a sucker cup 19 c. Retaining clip 3 c secures the suckercup 9 c.

The swing plate 5 includes corresponding apertures 19, 20 for receivingsucker cups 9 a, 9 b. Corresponding securing clips 3 a, 3 b areprovided.

Heating ring 10 is provided with an axial aperture 21 which aligns withcentral aperture 22 of annular body 8 and also a correspondingco-aligned aperture 23 provided through arm 1. In the assembly apertures21, 22 and 23 are co-aligned providing a viewing or observation portthrough the entire device.

As shown in the assembled configuration in FIG. 1, the device can beretained on the surface of a vehicle windscreen by the sucker cups 9 a,9 b, 9 c. The device is typically situated on the underside of thevehicle windscreen with the viewing port 24 (defined by apertures 21,22, 23) positioned under a subject crack, chip or break on the externalsurface of the vehicle windscreen. Sucker cup 9 c may be released fromthe windscreen and the arm 1 pivoted in the direction of arrow A in FIG.1 completely out of the way of the zone of the crack or break in orderto permit further more detailed observation of the break or crack.

With the device secured in position, the heating ring 10, is held incontact with the underside of the vehicle windscreen. The heating ring10 is activated to provide an annular heating zone around the zone ofthe crack or break via the underside of the windscreen. A thermometerdevice 51 provides an indication of the windscreen temperature.

Whilst the heating device is in operation providing heat to thewindscreen, on the obverse face of the windscreen (the exterior surface)the crack or break is repaired by infilling the crack with resin.

A resin applicator device (such as a vacuum application device) may beused to deliver resin to the crack on the exterior of the windscreensurface. An example of such apparatus is disclosed in WO-A-0134373. Afeature of the present invention is the ability to heat the windscreenat the region of the crack or break whilst such crack repair apparatusis present on the exterior of the surface for infilling the crack orbreak with resin.

The heater of the present invention provides sufficient heat to ensurethat the resin flow characteristics are optimised in order to ensuremaximum infilling of the crack or break with resin.

The apparatus of the invention is particularly suited to use in coldambient conditions where the screen temperature is such that resin flowinhibition would be likely to occur.

The heater device of the present invention has been shown to enable thescreen temperature to be raised by 10° C.-25° C. in two to five minutesat starting screen temperatures of −5° C. to 10° C.

1. A windscreen heater device comprising: a mounting arrangement formounting the heater device relative to the windscreen; a port enablingviewing of a target zone of the windscreen; and a heater elementpositioned in the region of the port.
 2. A windscreen heater deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the heater element extends peripherally ofthe port.
 3. A windscreen heater device according to claim 1, whereinthe heater element comprises an annular heater element.
 4. A windscreenheater device according to claim 1, wherein the heater element comprisesan electrical resistance heating element.
 5. A windscreen heater deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the heater element is held in contact withthe windscreen surface.
 6. A windscreen heater device according to claim1, wherein, when mounted relative to the screen, the port and heaterelement can be moved relative to the windscreen.
 7. A windscreen heatingdevice according to claim 6, wherein, when mounted relative to thescreen, the port and heater element can be moved pivotally over thewindscreen.
 8. A windscreen heating device according to claim 1, whereinthe mounting includes three or more points of mounting to the screen. 9.A windscreen heating device according to claim 1, wherein the mountingmeans includes one or more sucker cups.
 10. A windscreen heating deviceaccording to claim 1, including: a first support element having mountingmeans for mounting to the windscreen; and, a second support elementpivotally connected to the first support element and carrying the portand heater element.
 11. A windscreen heater device according to claim10, wherein the second support element includes mounting means formounting to the windscreen.
 12. A method of heating a windscreencomprising: providing a windscreen heater device including a mountingarrangement for mounting the heater device relative to the windscreen, aport enabling viewing of a target zone of the windscreen, and a heaterelement positioned in the region of the port; manipulating the mountingarrangement to mount the windscreen heater device to an (vehicleinterior) surface of the windscreen; and using the heater element toheat the windscreen in the region of the port.
 13. A method of repairinga flaw in a vehicle windscreen, comprising: providing a windscreenheater device including a mounting arrangement for mounting the heaterdevice relative to the windscreen, a port enabling viewing of a targetzone of the windscreen, and a heater element positioned in the region ofthe port; manipulating the mounting arrangement such that the windscreenheater device is mounted adjacent the windscreen with the flaw visiblethrough the port; and infllling the flaw with resin and using the heaterelement to apply heat to the windscreen and the flaw.
 14. A methodaccording to claim 13, wherein the windscreen heater device is mountedto a (vehicle interior) surface of the windscreen.
 15. A methodaccording to claim 13, wherein the flaw is repaired with resin whilstheat is simultaneously applied by the heating element of the device. 16.A method according to claim 14, further comprising mounting a repairapparatus to the outside surface of the windscreen in the region of theflaw, and operating the outside mounted repair apparatus to repair theflaw with resin whilst heat is simultaneously applied by the heatingelement of the device. 17-18. (canceled)